United Nations Security Council Resolution 918
Encyclopedia
United Nations
Security Council Resolution
918, adopted without a vote on May 17, 1994, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Rwanda
, particularly resolutions 872
(1993), 909
(1994) and 912
(1994), the Council expressed its alarm and condemnation at the continuing large-scale violence
in the country which resulted in the death of thousands of innocent civilians, and went on to impose an arms embargo
on the country and authorised an expansion of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
(UNAMIR).
The Security Council condemned the violence and many killings of civilians in Rwanda and the impunity with which armed people were able to operate. The importance of the Arusha Accords
signed in Arusha
, Tanzania
, was stressed and for all parties to commitment to its implementation, commending the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for its efforts in this regard. The Council stated that the thousands of deaths and large number of refugee
s and displaced people constituted a major humanitarian crisis with large scale violations of international humanitarian law
. In this context the Council regarded the killing of members of an ethnic group
with the intention of destroying such a group
a crime punishable under international law
. All parties were urged to cease incitement of ethnic hatred, particularly through the mass media
.
The Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
was requested to collect information regarding the shooting down of the plane carrying the President of Rwanda Juvénal Habyarimana
and President of Burundi
Cyprien Ntaryamira
and violations of international humanitarian law. The urgent need for co-ordinated international action to alleviate the suffering of the Rwandan people was underlined, therefore it was desirable that the mandate of UNAMIR peacekeepers
was expanded for humanitarian reasons.
Concerned that the continuation of the situation constituted a threat to international peace and security, the Council demanded an immediate end to hostilities, an agreed ceasefire
and an end to the violence and carnage engulfing Rwanda. With this in mind, the mandate of UNAMIR was expanded to include:
to contribute to the safety of displaced persons and refugees, and the establishment of secure humanitarian areas; to provide security during the distribution of humanitarian aid
.
It was recognised that UNAMIR may also need to act in self-defense
against persons threatening protected sites and populations and humanitarian workers, and authorised an increase of the force level of UNAMIR up to 5,500 troops. This would be an increased from the 444 already present. The Secretary-General had called for the redeployment of military observers currently in Nairobi
, Kenya
to Rwanda and to bring the mechanised infantry battalion up to full strength. He was also asked to report on developments in the situation concerning progress towards a ceasefire, availability of resources, the UNAMIR mandate and review of further action. Member States were requested to provide personnel to UNAMIR, while the parties in Rwanda were urged to co-operate with its mandate, ensuring its safety and freedom of movement
and to treat Kigali International Airport
as a neutral zone.
The Council, now acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
, went on to impose an arms embargo
on Rwanda, banning the sale of weapon
s, ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, police equipment and spare parts to the country. A Committee of the Security Council was established with the following tasks:
to seek information from Member States on actions they had taken to implement the embargo; to consider information on violations of the embargo and discuss ways of increasing the effectiveness of the embargo; to recommend measures against violations.
The Secretary-General was further asked as soon as possible to report on violations of humanitarian law, and in cooperation with the OAU, to continue its efforts for a peaceful solution within the Arusha peace agreement. Finally, the Council decided to keep the situation under review and anticipated a report from the Secretary-General within five weeks of the adoption of the current resolution on developments in Rwanda.
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Security Council Resolution
United Nations Security Council Resolution
A United Nations Security Council resolution is a UN resolution adopted by the fifteen members of the Security Council; the UN body charged with "primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security"....
918, adopted without a vote on May 17, 1994, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Rwanda
Rwanda
Rwanda or , officially the Republic of Rwanda , is a country in central and eastern Africa with a population of approximately 11.4 million . Rwanda is located a few degrees south of the Equator, and is bordered by Uganda, Tanzania, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of the Congo...
, particularly resolutions 872
United Nations Security Council Resolution 872
United Nations Security Council Resolution 872, adopted unanimously on October 5, 1993, after reaffirming resolutions 812 and 846 on the situation in Rwanda and Resolution 868 on the security of United Nations operations, the Council stressed the need for an international force in the country...
(1993), 909
United Nations Security Council Resolution 909
United Nations Security Council Resolution 909, adopted unanimously on April 5, 1994, after reaffirming resolutions 812 , 846 , 872 , 891 and 893 on Rwanda, the Council expressed concern at deteriorating security and humanitarian situation in the country, particularly in Kigali, and extended the...
(1994) and 912
United Nations Security Council Resolution 912
United Nations Security Council Resolution 912, adopted unanimously on April 21, 1994, after reaffirming all resolutions on the situation in Rwanda, particularly resolutions 872 and 909 , the Council expressed its alarm and condemnation of the large-scale violence in the country which resulted in...
(1994), the Council expressed its alarm and condemnation at the continuing large-scale violence
Rwandan Genocide
The Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
in the country which resulted in the death of thousands of innocent civilians, and went on to impose an arms embargo
Arms embargo
An arms embargo is an embargo that applies to weaponry. It may also include "dual use" items. An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:# to signal disapproval of behavior by a certain actor,# to maintain neutral standing in an ongoing conflict, or...
on the country and authorised an expansion of the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda
The United Nations Assistance Mission In Rwanda was a mission instituted by the United Nations to aid the implementation of the Arusha Accords, signed August 4, 1993, which were meant to end the Rwandan Civil War. The mission lasted from October 1993 to March 1996...
(UNAMIR).
The Security Council condemned the violence and many killings of civilians in Rwanda and the impunity with which armed people were able to operate. The importance of the Arusha Accords
Arusha Accords
The Arusha Accords were a set of five accords signed in Arusha, Tanzania on August 4, 1993, by the government of Rwanda and the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front , under mediation, to end a three-year Rwandan Civil War...
signed in Arusha
Arusha
Arusha is a city in northern Tanzania. It is the capital of the Arusha Region, which claims a population of 1,288,088, including 281,608 for the Arusha District . Arusha is surrounded by some of Africa's most famous landscapes and national parks...
, Tanzania
Tanzania
The United Republic of Tanzania is a country in East Africa bordered by Kenya and Uganda to the north, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west, and Zambia, Malawi, and Mozambique to the south. The country's eastern borders lie on the Indian Ocean.Tanzania is a state...
, was stressed and for all parties to commitment to its implementation, commending the Organization of African Unity (OAU) for its efforts in this regard. The Council stated that the thousands of deaths and large number of refugee
Refugee
A refugee is a person who outside her country of origin or habitual residence because she has suffered persecution on account of race, religion, nationality, political opinion, or because she is a member of a persecuted 'social group'. Such a person may be referred to as an 'asylum seeker' until...
s and displaced people constituted a major humanitarian crisis with large scale violations of international humanitarian law
International humanitarian law
International humanitarian law , often referred to as the laws of war, the laws and customs of war or the law of armed conflict, is the legal corpus that comprises "the Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions, as well as subsequent treaties, case law, and customary international law." It...
. In this context the Council regarded the killing of members of an ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...
with the intention of destroying such a group
Ethnic cleansing
Ethnic cleansing is a purposeful policy designed by one ethnic or religious group to remove by violent and terror-inspiring means the civilian population of another ethnic orreligious group from certain geographic areas....
a crime punishable under international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
. All parties were urged to cease incitement of ethnic hatred, particularly through the mass media
Mass media
Mass media refers collectively to all media technologies which are intended to reach a large audience via mass communication. Broadcast media transmit their information electronically and comprise of television, film and radio, movies, CDs, DVDs and some other gadgets like cameras or video consoles...
.
The Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali
Boutros Boutros-Ghali is an Egyptian politician and diplomat who was the sixth Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1992 to December 1996...
was requested to collect information regarding the shooting down of the plane carrying the President of Rwanda Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana
Juvénal Habyarimana was the third President of the Republic of Rwanda, the post he held longer than any other president to date, from 1973 until 1994. During his 20-year rule he favored his own ethnic group, the Hutus, and supported the Hutu majority in neighboring Burundi against the Tutsi...
and President of Burundi
Burundi
Burundi , officially the Republic of Burundi , is a landlocked country in the Great Lakes region of Eastern Africa bordered by Rwanda to the north, Tanzania to the east and south, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the west. Its capital is Bujumbura...
Cyprien Ntaryamira
Cyprien Ntaryamira
Cyprien Ntaryamira , was President of Burundi from 5 February 1994 until his death when his plane was shot down on 6 April 1994.-Biography:...
and violations of international humanitarian law. The urgent need for co-ordinated international action to alleviate the suffering of the Rwandan people was underlined, therefore it was desirable that the mandate of UNAMIR peacekeepers
Peacekeeping
Peacekeeping is an activity that aims to create the conditions for lasting peace. It is distinguished from both peacebuilding and peacemaking....
was expanded for humanitarian reasons.
Concerned that the continuation of the situation constituted a threat to international peace and security, the Council demanded an immediate end to hostilities, an agreed ceasefire
Ceasefire
A ceasefire is a temporary stoppage of a war in which each side agrees with the other to suspend aggressive actions. Ceasefires may be declared as part of a formal treaty, but they have also been called as part of an informal understanding between opposing forces...
and an end to the violence and carnage engulfing Rwanda. With this in mind, the mandate of UNAMIR was expanded to include:
to contribute to the safety of displaced persons and refugees, and the establishment of secure humanitarian areas; to provide security during the distribution of humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid
Humanitarian aid is material or logistical assistance provided for humanitarian purposes, typically in response to humanitarian crises including natural disaster and man-made disaster. The primary objective of humanitarian aid is to save lives, alleviate suffering, and maintain human dignity...
.
It was recognised that UNAMIR may also need to act in self-defense
Self-defense
Self-defense, self-defence or private defense is a countermeasure that involves defending oneself, one's property or the well-being of another from physical harm. The use of the right of self-defense as a legal justification for the use of force in times of danger is available in many...
against persons threatening protected sites and populations and humanitarian workers, and authorised an increase of the force level of UNAMIR up to 5,500 troops. This would be an increased from the 444 already present. The Secretary-General had called for the redeployment of military observers currently in Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
, Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
to Rwanda and to bring the mechanised infantry battalion up to full strength. He was also asked to report on developments in the situation concerning progress towards a ceasefire, availability of resources, the UNAMIR mandate and review of further action. Member States were requested to provide personnel to UNAMIR, while the parties in Rwanda were urged to co-operate with its mandate, ensuring its safety and freedom of movement
Freedom of movement
Freedom of movement, mobility rights or the right to travel is a human right concept that the constitutions of numerous states respect...
and to treat Kigali International Airport
Kigali International Airport
Kigali International Airport , formerly known as Gregoire Kayibanda International Airport, but sometimes referred to as Kanombe International Airport, is the primary airport serving Kigali, the capital of Rwanda...
as a neutral zone.
The Council, now acting under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter sets out the UN Security Council's powers to maintain peace. It allows the Council to "determine the existence of any threat to the peace, breach of the peace, or act of aggression" and to take military and nonmilitary action to "restore international peace...
, went on to impose an arms embargo
Arms embargo
An arms embargo is an embargo that applies to weaponry. It may also include "dual use" items. An arms embargo may serve one or more purposes:# to signal disapproval of behavior by a certain actor,# to maintain neutral standing in an ongoing conflict, or...
on Rwanda, banning the sale of weapon
Weapon
A weapon, arm, or armament is a tool or instrument used with the aim of causing damage or harm to living beings or artificial structures or systems...
s, ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, police equipment and spare parts to the country. A Committee of the Security Council was established with the following tasks:
to seek information from Member States on actions they had taken to implement the embargo; to consider information on violations of the embargo and discuss ways of increasing the effectiveness of the embargo; to recommend measures against violations.
The Secretary-General was further asked as soon as possible to report on violations of humanitarian law, and in cooperation with the OAU, to continue its efforts for a peaceful solution within the Arusha peace agreement. Finally, the Council decided to keep the situation under review and anticipated a report from the Secretary-General within five weeks of the adoption of the current resolution on developments in Rwanda.
See also
- History of RwandaHistory of RwandaHuman occupation of Rwanda is thought to have begun shortly after the last ice age. By the fifteenth century the inhabitants had organized into a number of kingdoms...
- List of United Nations Security Council Resolutions 901 to 1000 (1994 – 1995)
- Hutu PowerHutu PowerHutu Power was an ideology propounded by the Akazu and other Hutu extremists in Rwanda. It contributed to the Rwandan Genocide in 1994 against the Tutsi and moderate Hutu.-Background:...
- Rwandan Civil WarRwandan Civil WarThe Rwandan Civil War was a conflict within the Central African nation of Rwanda between the government of President Juvénal Habyarimana and the rebel Rwandan Patriotic Front...
- Rwandan GenocideRwandan GenocideThe Rwandan Genocide was the 1994 mass murder of an estimated 800,000 people in the small East African nation of Rwanda. Over the course of approximately 100 days through mid-July, over 500,000 people were killed, according to a Human Rights Watch estimate...
- United Nations Observer Mission Uganda–Rwanda